The City Sings Green & Other Poems about Welcoming Wildlife
A unique and artful blend of poetry, science, and activism, this picture book shows how city dwellers can intervene so that nature can work her magic. Perfect for fans of The Curious Garden and Harlem Grown.
In Oslo, Norway: citizens create a honeybee highway that stretches from one side of the city to the other, offering flowerpots, resting spots, bee boxes, and beehives--even water fountains--every eight hundred feet.
In the Bronx, New York: a community rallies to clean their river and cheers at the return of the long-lost beaver population.
In Busselton, Australia: people make a rope bridge that swings high above speeding cars, creating a safe path for tree-hopping possums and squirrels alike.
Through a mix of lyrical poems, real-life success stories, and bouquet-bright artwork, The City Sings Green explores the environmental impact of humans and showcases the many ways that we can rewild cities across the globe. Together, we can welcome nature back!
Detailed back matter includes sources, links to explore, ways to help, and recommended reading.
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ERICA SILVERMAN is the author of the Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa early reader books, the first of which received a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor. Lana's World is her newest easy reader series. She has also written many picture books for children, including When the Chickens Went on Strike, Big Pumpkin, Hanukkah Hop, and Don't Fidget a Feather. She lives in Los Angeles, California.
Ginnie Hsu is a Visual Storyteller and educator living in upstate New York. Her work is often inspired by everyday life, nature, human living, and well-being. Growing up with her grandparents and her childhood in Taiwan significantly impacted who she is as an artist. She believes good stories incorporate an awareness of empathy, humans and society, observation of problems, constant learning, and a desire to research. She loves exploring new ways to tell stories and hopes to contribute work that affects meaningful change in the world.
"Vivid verse brings to life a variety of global efforts toward environmental stewardship and revitalization. Though it's clear that our planet faces grave danger, readers will come away feeling that positive change is within their grasp." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Place-based poetry extols cities that have undertaken rewilding efforts in this uplifting poetry collection from Silverman. Colorful wildflowers, googly eyed animals, and budding environmentalists of different skin tones populate Hsu's paintings, which amplify the inspirational examples featured." -- Publishers Weekly
"Silverman celebrates 11 successful projects that have resulted in wildlife returning to their previously disturbed, now mostly urban habitats. Additional prose text offers more comprehensive information, while Hsu's sunny acrylic-gouache illustrations expand on program details. With generous back matter, this makes an upbeat addition to primary ecology units." -- Booklist
★ "The concept of worldwide -changes to better support urban wildlife is told through exquisite rhymes wrapped around big, bold blossoms of color that, along with the plentiful learning resources, will captivate readers. A must-have poetry book." -- School Library Journal (starred review)
